the paquettes

A few weeks ago we went on vacation to the Northwest with some friends of ours.  James and his friend dreamed of this vacation being a great, relaxing time.  The problem was that I wasn’t too excited about going on this trip.  I love our friends, but it’s not my idea of a great time to visit down towns (and we were going to visit 3!) and eat all the “best food” in the perspective cities.  I’m a comfort eater, meaning if I have my Reduced Fat Cheez-Its and my Honey Bunches of Oats cereal after dinner, I’m a happy girl.  I don’t care about eating the best “____” in the USA, and I’m not one for trying new foods.  I will do it, but I definitely won’t order it as MY meal.  How horrible would that be to have a gross meal just because you wanted to try something new?  🙂

Back to my point, when James and I vacation, we usually have the whole vacation planned out before we go.  And we, (or maybe I should say I), like to have an excursion to do everyday.  I want to see everything I can while I’m in the destination.  If I’m being honest, I did not want to go to the Northwest, and I surely did not want to go there without a real plan.  (Eat good food and explore is not a plan.)

We went to Vancouver first, and we were going to go skydiving but the weather would not allow it.  I was sad, but it wasn’t James’ fault, no big deal.  We really didn’t have a back up plan though, so I just took a nap and felt bummed.  My attitude kinda kept rolling downhill from there.  I tried to put on a happy face, but James, (and I’m sure my friends), could tell this wasn’t my idea of a fun vacation.  Walking miles to get to a restaurant that has the best “____” or window shopping was not my idea of excursions.  I was definitely grumpy inside, and my heart was not right.

James kept on pursuing me though in love.  He asked me a million times what things sounded like fun, and all I could think was “None, because this should of been planned out BEFORE we got here, and not waste time deciding while we are here.”  He wanted to make sure I was happy.  He treated me to a facial.  He relentlessly loved me even when I would turn to him and say, “Stop treating me so sweetly!!  I don’t deserve it!  Just let me be a grump, and wallow in my self-pity!”  He never gave up.  He took me to steak houses when our friends were at sushi (he would of had sushi otherwise), he found a way for us to skydive in Oregon even though he was dreading doing it.  He always said to me wherever we were, “Get whatever you want!”

Over dinner one night I told him that our marriage, and this vacation was sanctifying me.  His pursuit of me, even in my yucky sinful attitude, reminded me of how God pursues me.  God loves me even in my sin.  And James told me that he was reminded in this vacation that to pursue is costly.  To pursue requires sacrifice, and God sacrificed his own Son for us.  James would pursue me even when I’m “difficult.”

Thank you Lord for James, our 12 years of marriage, and times like these to be reminded of Your *Never Stopping, Never Giving up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love*!

*from my favorite kids Bible- The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name“>